1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of ice scrapers. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of shock absorbing ice scrapers for use in scraping ice, snow or frost accumulating on windshields and windows of vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various scrapers have been proposed in the art and implemented for scraping the winter elements off a vehicle's windshield and windows. A number of scrapers are fairly short arcuate devices while others comprise an elongated handle with a scraper blade at one end. In addition, some ice scrapers employ a scraper at one end of an elongated handle with a brush being mounted on the other end. Although the longer ice scrapers described above provide an extended reach, it is difficult for the user to apply sufficient scraping pressure to the scraper blade.
Conventional scrapers have a handle which is grasped in the hand and used to press the scraping edge of the tool against the surface that is being scraped. This manner of scraping exerts considerable stress on the wrist and requires the wrist to be flexed at various angles, and therefore frequently leads to wrist injuries. The amount of force that can be applied to the surface is also somewhat limited because of the limited strength of the wrist and this detracts from the effectiveness and efficiency of the scraping process.
The problems associated with conventional scrapers have been recognized and efforts to improve the scraper design have been made. However, they have not been altogether successful either functionally or commercially.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,399 issued to Vairo on Dec. 16, 2003 discloses an ice scraper which includes an elongated handle portion having a scraper blade mounted at one end and a U-shaped yoke mounted at the other end. The U-shaped yoke has a pair of spaced-apart yoke members which have a U-shaped arm or wrist engaging member and which extends therebetween. An optional brush is secured to the handle portion adjacent the scraper blade but disposed oppositely. This device does not have a shock absorbing means for the scraping head, and thereby causes wrist and hand injure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,943 issued to Daws et al. on Nov. 4, 2003 discloses a shock absorber with sealing ice scraper. The shock absorber includes a piston assembly and a damping fluid cylinder having a first end and defining a damping fluid chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,698 issued to Francis et al. on Dec. 5, 1995 discloses a hand tool having interchangeable accessories. It comprises a frame which holds interchangeable working heads for scraping ice and other materials, scrubbing and sanding. The frame pivotally carries the working head at one end. Again, this device does not have a shock absorbing means for the scraping head, and thereby causes wrist and hand injure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,981 issued to Wiese on Oct. 10, 1995 discloses a paint scraper. The paint scraper includes a blade for scraping paint from a surface by pulling and pushing the blade along the surface while the blade is held in pressure contact with the surface. The paint scraper includes a handle carrying the blade with the handle having a first cylindrical portion for grasping in different hand positions with a thumb and fingers of a user's hand and a lever arm extending from the handle, with the lever arm extending substantially at a right angle to the handle and having an opening so as to permit insertion and repositioning of a user's forearm with the lever arm having an arm cradle having an arcuate shape for engaging an extended portion of a user's forearm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,324 issued to Farris on Jan. 15, 1991 discloses a push-pull paint scraper tool which has a two-section handle attached to a support head. The two handle sections are offset at predetermined angles relative to a scraper blade coupling surface portion of the support head. A scraper plate has push and pull scraper blades which is removably mounted onto the support head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,561 issued to Hamilton on Oct. 16, 1990 discloses a scraping device which includes a handle with a looped section for engaging the upper forearm adjacent the elbow. The looped section has a curvature which accommodates a thick winter coat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,119 issued to McMillen on Apr. 27, 1999 discloses a floating wiper seal assembly for sealingly engaging a reciprocating shaft within a hydraulic pump housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,458 issued to Jacobucci on Mar. 21, 1989 discloses an ice, frost, and snow scraper for vehicle windscreens. The scraper includes a center handle which acts as a fulcrum and two lever arms which act as levers. The two lever arms are incurved and joined each other to form the forearm rest at the rear extremity of the scraper.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,175 issued to Burgess, Jr. on Dec. 15, 1981 discloses a scraping tool for scraping ice from an automobile windshield. The tool includes a shell member having two pairs of blades disposed longitudinally along the shell. One blade from each pair is straight and disposed transversely across the shell while the other blade from each pair is arcuate in shape and spaced apart from the first blade at the center portions and joined at the distal ends.
It is highly desirable to have a very efficient and also very effective design and construction of a shock absorbing ice scraper for scraping ice, snow or frost from windows of a vehicle. It is desirable to provide a shock absorbing ice scraper for absorbing impact to the hand and wrist of a user to prevent injuries. It is also desirable to provide an interchangeable scraper head with the shock-absorbing feature of the present invention.